This colloidal oatmeal body butter may be the best skin-softening and moisturizing butter to date! It is rich in three different butters: shea butter, mango butter, and hokum butter. Despite being rich in these natural butters, this body butter applies easily to the skin without feeling heavy. Plus, the subtle amount of lavender essential oil gives this body butter a relaxing scent and extra skin-soothing properties.
What Is A Body Butter?
A homemade body butter is a nutrient-dense cream that consists of natural oils and butters that nourish and protect the skin. It is not a lotion; rather, a body butter gives your skin a dewy glow and non-greasy finish. At room temperature, a body butter should be semi-solid, compared to a lotion that is almost always thicker. Lotions typically contain artificial scents and other chemicals, whereas a homemade body butter contains natural, unrefined ingredients. For more information about some of the key ingredients in this body butter, continue reading.
Kokum Butter
Derived from the seeds of the kokum tree, kokum butter has a gray or pale yellow tint and is very rich in stearic acid, a type of saturated fat. This fat’s chemical structure allows kokum butter to remain solid at room temperature. Kokum butter can be used to improve the moisture content of almost every part of the body, including the feet, lips, skin, scalp, and hair. It is quite light and it is a powerful emollient and moisturizing agent. One study found that kokum butter was able to significantly improve symptoms of cracked heels after applying it twice daily for 15 consecutive days. More research is necessary on this butter, but initial research is very promising, and researchers are interested in the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Mango Butter
Mango butter is slightly less popular than cocoa and shea butters, but it comes with a wide range of health benefits. It exhibits a subtle scent and, just like kokum butter, is very lightweight and slickly smooth. Mango butter is an excellent source of vitamin A, an antioxidant that stimulates the skin’s natural renewal process. Vitamin A encourages the skin to produce new, healthy skin cells. Mango butter is highly moisturizing as well, improving the overall texture and elasticity of the skin. Do you suffer from dry, itchy, or inflamed skin? Mango butter may provide the necessary nourishment that your skin needs to ease inflammatory skin conditions.
Colloidal Oatmeal
For centuries, colloidal oatmeal has been a natural remedy for dry, irritated skin. It is made by grinding oat grain into a fine powder. Considered an emollient, colloidal oatmeal is a substance that softens the skin because it contains fats, minerals, and other skin-nourishing nutrients. Studies confirm that colloidal oatmeal boasts impressive antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that fight oxidative stress on the skin. One study found that colloidal oatmeal has a unique chemical structure that reduces cytokines, proteins that cause inflammation, on the skin. People with eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions can help manage symptoms, including flare-ups, with colloidal oatmeal. Similarly, colloidal oatmeal can soothe general dryness or irritation.
DIY Colloidal Oatmeal Body Butter
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces shea butter
- 0.5 ounces kokum butter
- 0.4 ounces mango butter
- 1.5 ounces sweet almond oil
- 0.1 ounce vitamin E oil
- 1.5 tablespoons colloidal oatmeal
- 4 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions:
- Add the shea butter, kokum butter, and mango butter to a microwave-safe container and melt these butter in the microwave in 30-second intervals. It should take about a minute and a half to fully melt the butters.
- Pour the melted butter mixture into a mixing bowl and add the sweet almond oil and vitamin E oil. Use a spatula to mix up the ingredients, cover the bowl, and then place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Remove from the fridge and add the colloidal oatmeal and lavender essential oil. Using a hand mixer, whip the mixture until it is light and fluffy.
- Spoon the whipped butter into several glass jars and store them in a cool, dark place. You should be able to fill two four-ounce jars or one eight-ounce jar.
